How to Fix Start Menu Not Working in Windows 10

If you have recently updated to Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, version 1709, and your Start menu does not open, making it impossible to use the convenient search feature, you are not alone. Many Windows 10 users also report this problem. But don't worry, we're here to help.

The exact cause of this problem varies between different combinations of PC environments, but there are solutions that will help you solve your non-functional start menu problem before Microsoft offers a permanent solution. If you find any of these errors, try the solutions listed below and hope that your Start menu works as usual again.

How to Fix Windows 10 Start Menu Not Working Problem

Before continuing, you must first create a system restore point so that you can return if you determine that the results do not meet your expectations.

1. Scan and repair damaged Windows files

Many problems with Windows are caused by corrupted files, and problems in the Start menu are no exception. To solve this problem, launch the Task Manager by right-clicking on the task bar and selecting Task Manager or pressing Ctrl+Alt+Delete.

Select "Run a new task" and start PowerShell by entering "powershell". Be sure to enable the option to perform this task with administrator rights.

After opening PowerShell, type "sfc /scannow" and press Enter. Run it, and when you see the message “Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some (or all) of them”, it found some bugs.

To fix them, enter "ISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth" - you must be online as Windows will download and replace "clean" versions of corrupted files. If this does not resolve your problems with the Windows 10 Start menu, skip to the next option below.

2. Reinstall all Windows applications

Downloading and reinstalling all Windows 10 applications allegedly repairs a blocked boot menu. This is not as drastic as it sounds - 'Windows applications' are the ones that are integrated with Windows 10 and available on the Windows store. They were called 'Modern Apps' and before that 'Metro' - Microsoft changed the name to Windows 10.

Better yet, reinstallation is automatic and should only take a few minutes. However, the process can delete all the data you have stored in these Windows applications, so save all important data before you begin.

Applications that store data online, in Microsoft OneDrive or as files in a separate folder (such as the photo application) should not be affected.

3. Create a new user account

If Windows application reinstallation does not work, creating a new user account will usually work. If you are currently using a Microsoft account, your settings will be transferred to the new account as soon as you update it from the default local account. However, you must always transfer your local files from one account to another. Your installed software is not affected.

4. Run Windows Update

Microsoft released its fifth major update for Windows 10 in April 2018, known as the Windows 10 April 2018 update.

The company did not indicate whether it would specifically correct the start-up menu problems, but visual optimizations were made to resolve the problems.

The Fall Creators Update case should be installed automatically on your computer, but if it hasn't landed yet, you can force it now.

5. Refresh your PC

As a last resort, you can "refresh" your Windows 10 installation, which is similar to reinstalling the operating system. Your documents are not affected, but you must reinstall all applications that are not part of Windows.